How to Look Good on Video and TV - Top Tips When in Front of the Camera

How to Look Good on Video and TV - Top Tips When in Front of the Camera

Whilst most of us are unlikely to appear on TV regularly, many businesses increasingly use a variety of media to reach out to customers but also their own teams. We caught up with our friends at Jericho Extraordinary Experiences for some top tips on making sure the challenge of being filmed goes as smoothly as possible.

Whether being interviewed on TV or in a corporate video, looking into that camera and hearing “action!” doesn’t have to be a nerve-racking experience which you look back on and cringe…

Here are a few key tips from the Jericho Newsroom Producer, Adrian Smith, to help you look and sound your best, even without professional training…

Where to look:

If you’re being interviewed, talk to the person asking the questions, don’t stare at the camera and keep your eye-line to the interviewer. Staring at the camera or glancing away will make you look nervous and possibly a bit creepy...

What to wear:

Everyone should remember that, even if you’re sat behind a desk, consider your outfit from head to toe as cameras may be shooting you on a wide shot and you don’t want to be let down by your scruffy shoes.

Ladies:

Avoid large jangly jewellery as it takes attention away from what you are saying.

Don’t wear anything too tight or too sexy/short.

Always consider where your radio mic can be fixed as wrap dresses can be very tricky. Jackets/blouses are recommended.

Gents:

Camera lights can be hot especially in studios, so wear a shirt that won’t show any sweat stains. White and dark blue shirts are good…light blue shirts are bad!

Wear your best suit and do up the top button of your jacket but not the bottom one. The jacket will hang better (and hide your belly!).

Sit on the back of your suit jacket, this makes you look smart as it straightens out the creases. (It’s an old newsreader’s trick!).

How to sit / posture:

I don’t want to sound like your mum but... don’t slouch. It just doesn’t look good on camera and it makes your clothes look crumpled. So sit up straight, shoulders back.

Make up:

(Yes, gentlemen – you too!) Don’t feel shy about using a little make-up to get rid of any shine. A shiny face/forehead doesn’t look great on camera.

Now onto the interview itself:

Be prepared. If you have notes, put them away once the interview starts as you’ll be tempted to look down at them whilst your talking. Feel free to refer back to them once you’ve answered a question.

Don’t try to answer everything in one go. Your answers will be way too long and probably a bit boring. If it’s not live then you can just have another go to get it right.

Good luck with your next appearance on camera, be it for live TV, a corporate video or anything else.

JERICHO NEWSROOM

Be coached by famous past and current news/weather presenters, producers and stylists until it’s your turn to step into their shoes in the studio, feeling the adrenaline rush of a live news environment...

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